Forest School at St Felix

We are very lucky to have our very own Forest School on site here at St Felix, all sessions are led by a member of staff who is a trained specialist Forest School Leader. Forest School is well established at St Felix with all of the Reception children attending weekly throughout the seasons.

What are Forest Schools?

Forest schools began in Scandinavia and have been developing in areas of the UK over the last ten years. In a Forest School children play and learn outdoors in a natural environment, all year round, in all weathers.

Why is there a Forest School at St Felix?

Many children learn best outdoors and benefit from the child-led learning available at Forest School. Children use the skills they learn in Forest School when they are learning inside the classroom too.

Forest Schools will help children to:

• Have the confidence to try new things.
• Set goals and feel proud when they achieve them.
• Be determined and persevere.
• Learn new words and how to explain things clearly.
• Keep fit and strong.
• Learn how to work in a team and to be happy working alone.

Where is the Forest School based?

At St Felix we have large grounds which includes a small area of wood and grassland, so the children will be able come to school as normal in the morning and easily walk to Forest School at the start of the session. 

What do the children do at Forest School?

The children can lead their own exploration in Forest School and so every session and every child’s experience differs. There is also an activity provided to extend skills and learning.  At Forest School children often choose to: dig, make and explore mud, climb trees, working together to move large pieces of wood, tying knots, making pictures, patterns and shapes with found natural resources, climbing trees, make up their own games, build dens, look for creatures and many, many other things!